Posts by Josh
Galangal Benefits for Digestion: Hildegard’s Spice of Life
Galangal benefits for digestion run deep in Hildegard von Bingen’s Physica. The history and science of her warming “spice of life.”
Read MoreDigestive Bitters for Appetite Control and Sugar Craving Support
A quick note on framing before we start: digestive bitters are not a weight loss supplement. They don’t burn fat, accelerate metabolism, or block nutrient absorption. Any product making those claims is either exaggerating or selling something other than traditional herbal bitters. What bitters do have well-documented effects on is appetite regulation and sugar craving…
Read MoreHildegard von Bingen’s Herbs: The 12th-Century Medical System That Modern Science Keeps Confirming
In 1150 CE, a Benedictine abbess in the Rhineland wrote down a complete system of natural medicine — herbal remedies, dietary guidance, fasting protocols, and treatments for dozens of conditions — that would remain the most comprehensive European medical text of its era for over a century. Her name was Hildegard of Bingen. What makes…
Read MoreArtichoke Leaf Extract: Benefits for Liver Health, Bile Production, and Digestion
Most people know the artichoke as a vegetable — the spiny, architectural thing you steam and dip in butter. Fewer people know that the leaf of the artichoke plant, Cynara cardunculus, is one of the most well-researched herbs in European phytomedicine, with a specific, documented mechanism that supports liver function, bile production, and fat digestion.…
Read MoreDigestive Bitters for Bloating: Why Most Remedies Treat the Symptom While Bitters Fix the Cause
Bloating after meals is one of the most common digestive complaints — and one of the most aggressively marketed. Walk down any supplement aisle and you’ll find an entire shelf of products promising gas relief: activated charcoal, simethicone, probiotics, digestive enzymes, peppermint capsules. Most of them work on the gas itself, after it’s already been…
Read MoreBitters for Intermittent Fasting: Supporting Digestion at the Breaking Point
The hardest part of intermittent fasting isn’t the fast itself. It’s the meal that ends it. If you’ve practiced any form of time-restricted eating — whether 16:8, OMAD, 24-hour fasts, or longer protocols — you’ve probably experienced this: you make it through the fasting window without issue, then eat your first meal and feel worse…
Read MoreGentian Root Benefits: The World’s Most Bitter Plant and What It Does
If you’ve ever tasted something so intensely bitter it made your eyes water, there’s a good chance you encountered gentian root — or something derived from it. Gentiana lutea, the yellow gentian plant native to the mountain meadows of central and southern Europe, holds the distinction of being one of the most bitter substances ever…
Read MoreDigestive Bitters Tablets vs. Liquid: Which Form Is Right for You?
Walk into any natural foods store and you’ll find digestive bitters in two forms: small bottles of dark liquid tincture, and tablets or lozenges. Ask the staff which is better and you’ll likely get an opinion based on what they personally use, not the science. Here’s what the science and traditional practice actually say —…
Read MoreHow Digestive Bitters Work (And Why the Taste Is the Point)
If you’ve ever popped a digestive bitters tablet and immediately thought “this tastes terrible” — congratulations. It’s working exactly as it should. That intensely bitter flavor isn’t a flaw in the formula. It isn’t a sign that something went wrong. The bitter taste is the mechanism. Understanding this one principle changes everything about how you…
Read MoreCoronavirus: Wisdom of Seasons and the Flu
As students of Hildegard von Bingen, it brings joy to watch her folksy wisdom regain relevance in modern times. While Hildegard lived almost 1,000 years ago, her forward-thinking approach to holistic healing appears less antiquated today. Her wisdom appears in our nascent understanding of seasons and the flu.
Read MoreA Medieval Nun on Coronavirus
What to Learn from a Medieval Nun on Coronavirus? As fans of Hildegard von Bingen, we harken back to Medieval times for a frame of reference during the corona crisis. Quarantine feels arcane, partly because modern medical advancements elevate us beyond the widespread fear of sickness. We rely on stable systems to provide cures for…
Read MoreWhy is Hildegard of Bingen Important?
Why is Hildegard of Bingen Important? Hildegard of Bingen produced major works of theology, music and medicine. Her work continues to influence our ways of thinking today. Hildegard is one of only 36 people to be named Doctor of the Church, a title given by the Roman Catholic Church to saints whose writings, research or…
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